“Once a red, always a red” is a phrase you’ll often hear amongst the Liverpool fanbase. Tonight it rings particularly true. Headbutts are a red, always a red. Card that is. Darwin Nunez’s moment of lunacy cost his team tonight, his headbutt on Joachim Andersen leaving them with ten men at Anfield against Crystal Palace. Jurgen Klopp’s side were behind when the striker attempted the wrong sort of header, but did show spirit to pull one back through Luis Diaz. Last season’s runners-up have now drawn both of their Premier League games in this young season. It’s not quite time for alarm bells, but Manchester City fans will allow themselves a wry smile that their perennial title rivals are already dropping points while their club has a pristine two wins from two.
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Liverpool set their stall out early, using width to stretch Palace’s five-man defence. The approach nearly led to a goal in the second minute, when Vicente Guaita had to claw a Trent Alexander-Arnold cross away from Darwin Nunez. The loose ball fell to James Milner, who really should have done better as he lashed it hopelessly over. The Palace keeper collided with the Liverpool midfielder and received treatment. Guaita carried on after a lengthy period on the grass, and had his mettle tested by a Mohamed Salah cross shortly afterwards.
The goalkeeper would spend a lot of time cutting out crosses as Liverpool found space in wide areas and peppered the away penalty area. A fine Alexander-Arnold fizzer did evade the goalkeeper’s grasp. Andy Robertson pulled it back but Jordan Ayew was alive to the danger.
The presence of Palace’s nominal centre forward in his own box summed up the rearguard action the visitors undertook. In practice, Patrick Vieira set up with Wilfried Zaha as his main attacking outlet. The winger had barely had a sniff when a lightning turn of pace from Eberechi Eze set him free on the counter. Eze had taken Fabinho out of the game and Zaha took care of the rest, curling a smooth finish into the corner of Alisson’s net.
The goal offered Palace encouragement and the one way traffic began to dissipate. Cheick Doucoure had a go from distance before Zaha drew a good save after nipping in behind Nat Phillips. Liverpool still had a sting in their tail as the half came to a close, with Nunez going agonisingly close. The new signing’s hooked effort looked certain to go in, but instead struck the post.
The second period opened with appeals for a penalty. Joel Ward’s slide to block a Nunez shot saw the ball strike him on the armpit. The VAR was reviewed but thankfully its intervention was brief and play continued.
Referee Paul Tierney’s intervention would be needed minutes later. Nunez was given a shove by Joachim Andersen, leading the forward to turn around and headbutt him. It was a truly baffling moment of hot-headedness that marred an encouraging home debut. A red card was the unsurprising upshot of these antics, and Andersen was shown a yellow for his antagonistic push to start the incident.
Luis Diaz demonstrated once again why he is a truly special part of this Liverpool side. Taking matters into his own hands, the Colombian surged past five Palace players and lashed a scorching shot past Guaita. The goal was superb, its effect was galvanising. The famous Anfield roar does not always live up to its moniker but tonight it was cacophonous enough to raise the dead. After going down to ten men this Liverpool team needed the shot of adrenaline it provided.
Liverpool took advantage of the atmosphere and attacked Palace in wave after wave. Vieira’s side were well-drilled and reverted into the organised shape that had kept Liverpool’s aerial assault at bay in the first half. The reality is that a point on your travels is a good result for the vast majority of the league, and nobody could judge Palace for trying to grind one out against Jurgen Klopp’s Champions League runners-up.
Just when it looked like we were in for a quarter of an hour of defence against attack, Doucoure carved out a golden chance. His cross was turned wide by Zaha at the back post. It was a very presentable opportunity for Palace to leave Merseyside with all three points.
Those points were very nearly Liverpool’s, too. A left-footed drive from the edge of the box went just wide. It had been a difficult night for the one they call ‘The Egyptian King’, but even then he came so close to one of those glowing moments that justify his position on the throne.
It has been a rough start to the new campaign from Liverpool. Against newly-promoted Fulham and at home to Palace they could have reasonably expected two victories. Emerging with none would have been unthinkable. It’s times like this you hope the fixture computer hands you a team in worse form than your own. A real whipping boy you can rack up a cricket score against. Oh, would you look at that? Liverpool are off to Old Trafford next week.
